Family & Home
US House candidate Emily Berge on PFAS, housing, D.C. chaos and replacing Derrick Van Orden
U.S. House candidate Emily Berge in the WIZM studio for La Crosse Talk on Friday discussing her run for Wisconsin’s 3rd District.
Some of the big topics we hit on were the PFAS dilemma throughout the district — including French Island — housing and homelessness, trying to keep up with the Trump administration and Berge’s experience in government.
La Crosse Talk airs weekdays at 6-8 a.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the podcasts here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk wherever you get your podcasts.
Now, selfishly, we had to ask Berge about La Crosse trying to hire a city administrator. And, that’s because she is the city council president of Eau Claire, which does not have a mayor but there is a city administrator (called a city manager there).
We also asked about why she decided to run, her thoughts on Republican Derrick Van Orden and her other Democratic opponents for the 3rd District — Laura Benjamin and Rebecca Cooke.
Along with being city council president, Berge is a licensed therapist, a mother and an ultra-runner, who has done the Hixon 50 in La Crosse.
nick
May 18, 2025 at 7:57 am
Would not want to meet with people like myself. Independents who would hold her feet to the fire.
Just friendly interviewers who would make sure she sounded good
nick
May 18, 2025 at 8:55 am
The Democrat way:
Sneak into town
Be interviewed by a friendly person
Leave quickly
Repeat another time.
Roy
May 19, 2025 at 9:04 am
Same topics, no matter who sits in the guest chair.
She’s running for Congress, Solem. Ask her about issues she would vote on in Washington, not about La Crosse’s City Hall or about the homeless non-issue.
If you haven’t heard, the homeless were kicked out of the parks. The new Mayor lets them sleep in the parking ramps if rain threatens, but none of this is a concern to a potential Congressman.
Kevin
May 20, 2025 at 6:58 am
What I would like to hear is her views on:
1) Are we a country of laws or not. Which laws are we allowed to ignore and when. Who gets to ignore them and when. Is the Border a one-way spigot, people can come in from anywhere, anytime, and we can’t send them home without first spending a $100k on the judicial vacation funds? What does Co-Equal mean.
2) Did you take biology, can you tell the difference between a girl and a boy, man and woman and the differences. You are a physical therapist, so you must have basic understanding of anatomy.
3) Voting rights, can you tell the difference between a citizen and a non-citizen. Just because you pay state & local taxes while making purchases does not make you a citizen. Just because you poach a house, and a cash only job does not make you a citizen. Just because you sneak across the border and have a child does not make you a citizen.
4) Are you a person that thinks critically or empathetically.
5) Do you have a basic understanding of the three branches of government and what each of their duties and tasks are as defined by the Constitution? Can you explain those roles out loud and take questions on those roles.
6) Are you a hater of all things conservative just because they are conservative. Can you stand on your own? Do you represent ‘all’ the people or just those partisan folks that talk in your echo chamber.
7) How should tax money be spent? What are the priorities?
8) Are you a partisan hack.